Table of Contents
- Overview
- Results
- Risks
- Prevention
Normally the pleural cavity contains less than 20 milliliters (4 teaspoons) of clear, yellowish (serous) fluid.
Normal value ranges may vary slightly among different laboratories. Talk to your doctor about the meaning of your specific test results.
What abnormal results mean
Abnormal results may indicate possible causes of pleural effusion, such as:
- Cancer (neoplasm)
Cirrhosis Heart failure - Infection
If the health care provider suspects an infection, a culture of the fluid is done to check for bacteria.
The test may also be performed for hemothorax, a collection of blood in the pleura.
Previous Section
Review Date: 10/14/2009
Reviewed By: Andrew Schriber, MD, FCCP, Specialist in Pulmonary, Critical Care,
and Sleep Medicine, Virtua Memorial Hospital, Mount Holly, New
Jersey. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network. Also
reviewed by David Zieve, MD, MHA, Medical Director, A.D.A.M., Inc.
A.D.A.M., Inc. is accredited by URAC, also known as the American Accreditation HealthCare Commission (www.urac.org)
